Emergence and Artificial Intelligence in the Performing Arts
Emergence and Artificial Intelligence in the Performing Arts

Summary/Abstract: Starting from a brief analysis of the validity and applicability as a cognitive tool of the concept of emergency in the examination of the theatrical phenomenon, we evaluate the aspects related to the radical novelty that emergence implies as a phenomenon of systemic self-organization. Thus, taking into account both the ostensible nature of theatrical process and emergency and their ambiguous nature, any theatre performance can be considered as characterized by emergency. At the same time, the unpredictability of emergence makes it difficult to establish which of the current trends of theatrical manifestation will be validated by the appearance of theatrical novelty. Obviously, the impact that information technology has in the field of performing arts seems to imply that novelty might come from this dimension of theatrical activity. However, even if we can note performances played by actroids or performances whose texts are created by robots, we should treat carefully the idea that emergence might occur from this direction. In fact, there is a similarity in reception between, for example, animation theatre and performances based on actroids. We can also notice a similarity between a text created with the means of artificial intelligence and the collage technique. That is why we ask ourselves if what Martin Scorsese observed, namely that some films that benefit from a substantial contribution of the film trick made with the help of computer technology can no longer be included in the concept of cinematography, does not have the same kind of impact in the performing arts. Thus, the emergence, in the performing arts, does not necessarily lead to the renewal of the system, but can also lead to the appearance of a parallel system, different from the existing one. It remains to be seen to what extent a performance can still be defined as a theatre performance when the spectator becomes a robot.

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